abject

UK: /ˈæbdʒɛkt/ US: /ˈæbdʒɛkt, æbˈdʒɛkt/ ,(ab′jekt, ab jekt′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ab•ject /ˈæbdʒɛkt, æbˈdʒɛkt/   adj. 

1. hopeless or wretched:
   [before a noun] abject poverty.
2. showing no courage;
   contemptible:
   an abject coward.

ab•ject•ly, adv. 
ab•ject•ness, n. [uncountable] See -jec-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ab•ject  (ab′jekt, ab jekt′), adj. 

1. utterly hopeless, miserable, humiliating, or wretched:
   abject poverty.
2. contemptible;
   despicable;
   base-spirited:
   an abject coward.
3. shamelessly servile;
   slavish.
4. [Obs.] cast aside.

• Latin abjectus thrown down (past participle of abicere, abjicere), equivalent. to ab- ab + -jec- throw + -tus past participle suffix
• late Middle English 1400–50

ab•ject′ly, adv. 
ab•ject′ness, ab•ject′ed•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. debasing, degrading; miserable.
• 2. base, mean, low, vile.

Antonyms

exalted.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

abject / ˈæbdʒɛkt/ adjective

1. utterly wretched or hopeless
2. miserable; forlorn; dejected
3. indicating humiliation; submissive: an abject apology
4. contemptible; despicable; servile: an abject liar

Etymology: 14th Century: (in the sense: rejected, cast out): from Latin abjectus thrown or cast away, from abjicere, from ab- away + jacere to throw

abˈjection noun

ˈabjectly adverb

ˈabjectness noun